Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of the combination of magnetic resonance (MR)-guided biopsy (MRGB) and diagnostic 3T MR imaging in the localization of local recurrence of prostate cancer (PCa) after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT).
Materials and methods: Twenty-four consecutive men with biochemical failure suspected of local recurrence after initial EBRT were enrolled prospectively in this study. All patients underwent a diagnostic 3T MR examination of the prostate. T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images (DCE-MRI) were acquired. Two radiologists evaluated the MR images in consensus for tumor suspicious regions (TSRs) for local recurrence. Subsequently, these TSRs were biopsied under MR-guidance and histopathologically evaluated for the presence of recurrent PCa. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied.
Results: Tissue sampling was successful in all patients and all TSRs. The positive predictive value on a per patient basis was 75% (15/20) and on a per TSR basis 68% (26/38). The median number of biopsies taken per patient was 3, and the duration of an MRGB session was 31 minutes. No intervention-related complications occurred.
Conclusions: The combination of MRGB and diagnostic MR imaging of the prostate was a feasible technique to localize PCa recurrence after EBRT using a low number of cores in a clinically acceptable time.